Automobile-brake.



W. BESLER.

AUTOMOBILE BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED IBB.1a, 1910.

Patented 0011.3, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L.. nlkm W. BESLBR.

AUTOMOBILE BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 18,1910. 1,004,733.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. gewi' Patented 0@1;.3,191'1.

l 'entraran sri/iras ani* rarer-i,

WILLIAM BESLER, OF COLOMA STATION, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMOBILE-BRAKE.

i ,oocytes Specification of Letters Patent. f

Patented Oct. 3, i911.

Application filed February 18, 1910. Serial No. 544,698.

of the. vehicle and which is adapted to quickly bring` the vehicle to astandstill` without the liability of injury to such propellingmechanism, or of undue Wear on the tires.

A further object, of the invention is a brake that vis susceptible ofbeing conven-1 iently operated and thatis positive in action andI alwaysready for immediate use.

A still further object of the invention is a brake including` legs whichare provided with brake shoes and which are adapted to he swung tooperative positions beneath the vehicle, so as to lift the drivewheelsft' the ground and to cause the vehicle to skid along on the brakeshoes.

- lVith these and other objects in view that will more fully appear asthe descriptionproceeds, the invention consists in certainconstruct-ions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafterfully describe and then point out the novel features of in thev appendedclaims.

Fora full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of thedetails of construction, reference is to behad to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure -l is a longitudinal section of an automobile equipped with myAimproved brake, the brake being shown in operative position. Fig. 2 isa similar view showing the brake in inoperative position. Fig. 3 is arear end View partly in section. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspectiveView of a part of a brake mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail view of thereleasing lever and the parts cooperating therewith, and `Fig. 6 is asimilar view showing one of the brace-rods mounted in the correspondingguide member.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The present invention consists essentially in the provision of a pair oflegs l which are suspended from the rear axle 2 of the automobile inproximity\to 'the respective drive wheels 3. It is to be understood,however, that I do not limit myself to connecting the legs to the rearaxle, but if desired, may attachthem to any suitable adjacent portion ofthe vehicle. The legs are pivotally n'iounted to swing in verticallongitudinal planes and are spring-pressed into op atirc positiqnswherein they ext/end substantially vertically beneath the vehicle.

As the legs .and arts coperating therewith are substantie duplicates instructure, only one of the same will be speciicallydescribed. The leg issubstantially straight and is similarly bifurcated at its opposite ends,asindicated at 4 ande". The bifurcations 4 are pivotally mounted on apintle 5 which is disposed beneaththe axle and in -the direction thereofand forms part of an axle clip.` In its preferred' construction, thisclip includes a air of inverted U- shaped clip bolts 6 which straddlethe axle; the corresponding ends of the clip bolts beingdetachablysecured to spaced tie bars 7 extending on opposite sides oftheaxle. The tie bars are connected by cross bars 8, the end portions ofwhich conform to the contour of and t against the axle. Intermediate oftheir ends the cross bars are bowed 'downwardly in spaced relation tothe axle,

as indicated at '9, in order to embrace the usual truss bar thatreinforces the axle. The bowed portions are formed with pivot `joints 11that are established through the medium of the pintle 5 which extendsbetween and is supported by the cross bars,

. the pivot joints permitting the cross bars to be drawn into moreeffectual engagement with the axle. A coil spring 12 encircles thepintle between the pivot joints 11 and is extended to-bear against theleg to tend to swing the same into operative position.

Disposed at the free end of the legis a shoe 13 that is in the form ofan elongated metallic plate which is disposed longitudinally withrespect to the vehicle and is slightly upturned at its forward end, asshown. Intermediate of its ends the shoe is formed with a pair oftransversely alining ears 14 to which the bifurcations 4 are pivotallyconnected through the medium -of a transverse bolt 15. A flat spring 16is preferably secured upon the shoe between the eai's and engages thebolt to hold the saine against relative turning movement.

V The leg is divided intermediate of its ends to form separate sections,the adjacent ends of which overlap and are formed with registeringlongitudinal slots 17, a bolt 18 being passed through the slots toconnectthe sections'together. The abutting faces of the section' areformed. with series of transverse seri-ations 1S) which are held ininterlocking relation by tightening the bolt 18. By vii'- tue of thisarrangement the leg is rendered susceptible of accurate longitudinaladjustment, so that its length is greater than the distance of thepintle 5 above the ground, this being necessary in order to cause theshoe to contact with the ground in the operative position of the leg.i\lthough this particular foiin of coupling between Athe leg sections ispreferred, it is to be understood that any approved extension couplingmay be employed in its stead.

A brace rod 20 extends longitudinally beneath the vehicle and hinged atits foi'- ward end, as indicated at 2l, beneath the body of the vehicle,or to any adjacent stationary portion thereof, the hinge connectionpermitting the brace rod to swing in vertical longitudinal plane. At itsrear end the brace rod is pivotally connected to the forward end of theshoe 13. AThe brace rod operates in proximity to its forward end in aslotted guide member 22 that is secured to and depends from the vehiclebody. ."i coil expansion spring 23 is mounted within the. guide memberand bears upon the brace. rod to tend to swing the same downwardly,whereby to assist the spring 12 to moveb the parts of the brake intooperative position. The primary vfunction of the brace rod is to preventthe leg from swinging rearwardly pasta center when` inits operativeposition. Intermediate of its` ends the brace rod is divided to formfront and rear sections 20a and 20", the section 20L being formed at itsrear end with a substantially U-shaped yoke v24, th'e`eiidsv of whichare connected by ay gland 25 that coperates with the yoke to constitutea framelike housing. The section 20b is slidable longitudinally throughthe gland and is provided within the yoke with a head 2C. A washer 2T ispreferably mounted on the section 2Oh in abutting relation tothe head 2Gand is slidably connected to the arms vof the yoke. Encircling thesection 20b between the washer and the gland, is an expansion spring 2S,the spring affording the sections a limited relative longitudinalmovement which is manifestly desirable in order to relieve the bracelrod of undue strain. Another advantage altainel with this particularform of connling bctween the sections, is that excessive jar andvibration is absorbed in the operation of thev brake. The section 20b isformed in s aced relation to its' rear end with a pivot joint 29 thatrenders the rear portion of the' brace rod capable ot' being foldedforwardly so as not .to interfere with the upward and forward swinging'inovei'iient of the le". On both sides of the pivot joint thebrace rodis preferably constructed with extension cou- .plingsl Cl() to increasethescope of adjustment of the parts, the extension couplings beingsubstantially similar to the coupling between the sections of the leg.

Each leg is controlled by a cable 31 Which is preferably secured at oneend to the shoe 13 in front of the pair of ears 14.' The cable passesupwardly and forwardly through suitable guides 32 mounted on thebody ofthe vehicle, and isattached. at its forward end to a pulley 33 fixedon a'shaft 34 which is journaled transversely of the vehicle body. There aretwo pulleys 33, so that a separate pulley is provided'for each cable,the pulleys being inountetl'on the shaft in'lproxiinity to the oppositeends thereof. .A reed beneath the. vehicle, so as'to be lentirely out ofthe way and toclear 'any obstacles in the road (see Fig. 2). The shaft,is held against rotation in the opposite direction through theinstrumentality of a ratchet wheel 356 that is fixed thereon and isengagedv by a spring-pressed detent 37. rl`he detent is slidably mountedin a housing 3S secured to the li'ottom of the vehicle. A link 2&9connects the deteiit with a releasing' lever 40, that inthe presentinstance, is designed lto be operated by thelfoot and projects throughthe bottoni of the vehicle body in convenient reach to the driversseat..

Before lescribing the voperation of 'my improved brake, it`will beassumed that the parts are in inoperative position, as illustratedin'lfig. 2. Incase it becomes necessary to apply the emergency brake,the operator of the a'.toii'iobile merely places his foot upon thereleasing lever t0, whereby to retract the detent 37 from engagement'roo-inea than the distance of their pivotel points above .the ground,the drive wheels 3 are *lifted slightly above the ground l'end theautomobile skids forwardly on the shoes 13. The Afriotionel contact ofthe shoes with the ground overcomes the momentum orn Aentirelyindependent of. the propelling l clutches to act.

'improved brake which may mechanism of the automobile, the machine canbe stopped regardless of accidents to the machinery7 such as failure ofthe By eleveting the drive Wheels above the ground,v the tires arerelieved of excessive weer.

The brake is conveniently returned to en inoperative position byrotating the shaft 34 to Wind the cables 3l on the pulleys 33. This, of'course,restores the rear wheels upon the ground, so as 'to admit of theautomobile being again setin motion.

From the 'foregoing description in con nection with the accompanyingdrawings itwill be apparent that I have provided an be successfullyemployed in connection with automobiles and other motor driven vehicles;which is positiveand etlicient in action; end which is comparativelysimple and durable in construction and is not likely to get out ofrepair.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed vas new is:

l. Ine vehicle brake, the combination of a shoe adapted for engagementwith the ground, a swinging leg pendent from the 'vehicle and havii'lgthe shoe pivotally connected to the lower end thereof, the said legbeing normally swung upwardly and forwerdly to hold the shoe in aninoperative position7 e forwardly extending brace rod pivot-allyconnected at its extremities to the shoe and some stationary part of thevehicle, the said brace rod being longitudinally extensible and beingformed in sections which are yieldably connected, the rear endoit thebrace rer being hinged so as to fold beck upon .itself when the legswung upwardly to hold the shoe in inoperative position, and means fornormally holding the shoe in inoperative position.

2. In a'vehic'le brake7 the combination of 'e shoe adapted forengagement with the 'grounth a swinging leg pendent VJfrom tnc vehicleand having the shoe pivotnlly connected to the lower end thereof, thesaid leg being' normally swung upwardly and 't'orwerdly to hold the shocin inoperative position, al forwardly extending brace rod pivotellyconnected at its extremities to the shoe and some-stationery part of thevehicle, the seid brace rod serving to limit the rearward movement ofthe shoe when it is swung downwardly into operative position and therear end oit' the brace rod being hinged so as to fold beck upon itselfwhen the leg' is swung upwardly to hold the shoe in inoperativeposition; e keeper pendentrrom the vehicle and receiving the brace rod,e spring arranged within the keeper and normally tending to move thebrace rod downwardly, and means for normally holding the shoeinniopcrative position.

In testimony whereof I eflix my signature in presence oi two witnesses.

wiLLrAM Beeren.

Witnesses: 4

A HARRY PowELL,

En. PMM.

